Saucony Grid Type A5 Product Review

Short Take

Saucony Type A5: the 5 A’s are for Agile, Amazing, Airy, Accomplished and Awesome. You want this lightweight shoe for your next race.

Big Updates

Weight Reduction: Saucony shaved about a half ounce of weight from both the Women's and Men's A5 compared to the A4.

FlexFilm Overlays: For added support in the upper without added weight, Saucony places welded overlays strategically on the upper.

Road Test

Like the Type A4, the Type A5 is one popular shoe, and for good reason according to our testers. We were impressed by the blend of responsiveness and protection from impact shocks that the Type A4 offered, and this smooth ride continues in the Type A5, thanks to a mid/outsole that is unchanged. The A5 remains a great shoe for minimalist training and race distances up to a half marathon.

Another thing we enjoyed about the Type A4 was its highly breathable mesh upper. Saucony completely redesigned the upper of the Type A5 but kept the airy, open feel intact. The added FlexFilm provides some extra structure right where you want it – spanning the heel up through the midfoot. Many testers really liked that the generous forefoot fit gave their feet room to expand.

Midfoot strikers will be happiest in the Type A5, but the shoe is fairly forgiving for heel strikers as well. There’s no cushioning tech beyond the Saucony Super Lite EVA foam. But out on the road, the shoe feels far more protective than the low stack height and low heel-to-toe drop would suggest.

Our list of dislikes is short. Because the Type A5 carries over the Type A4’s mid/outsole, expect the same issues with pebbles and small rocks getting lodged in the tread. And with the series of drainage holes, plan to avoid puddles unless you like your socks on the moist side.